JPH0974127A - Carrying apparatus for substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To speed-up a substrate carrying apparatus itself between each unit while responding to a time difference of processing times between a process unit and an exposure unit. SOLUTION: An IF unit is put between a process unit 2 for processing many kinds of substrate before and after an exposure step and an exposure unit 4 for carrying out the exposure step. The IF unit includes a buffer unit 32, a substrate carrying robot, a substrate taking-in stage 34, and a substrate taking- out stage 35. The buffer unit 32 includes a plurality of storing shelves 32a for storing a plurality of substrates (w). Then, a substrate carrying robot 23 in the process unit 2 and the substrate carrying robot in the IF unit 3 are used to deliver the substrate (w) through the buffer unit 32, while the substrate (w) is carried between the substrate taking-in stage 34 and the substrate taking-out stage 35 by the substrate carrying robot of the buffer unit 32.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is for performing substrate processing (resist coating, pre-baking, exposure, development, post-baking, etc.) in a photolithography process on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display. In particular, the present invention relates to a substrate transfer apparatus in a substrate processing apparatus, and particularly, in a photolithography process, a processing unit for performing various substrate processing such as resist coating, baking, and development before and after exposure processing and a processing unit for performing the exposure processing. The present invention relates to a substrate transfer device for transferring (delivering) a substrate to and from an exposure unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a substrate processing apparatus for performing various substrate processing in a photolithography process on a substrate, a processing unit for performing various substrate processing before and after the exposure process in the photolithography process has been conventionally used. , And an exposure unit for performing an exposure process.

The processing unit is a spin coater, a spin developer, a bake unit (hot plate) for performing each substrate processing before exposure processing such as resist coating and pre-baking, and each substrate processing after exposure processing such as development and post-baking. (Including a cool plate) and various devices, such as a substrate transfer robot that performs substrate transfer within the processing unit, etc.

The exposure unit is an exposure machine such as a reduction projection exposure machine (stepper) for performing exposure, an alignment mechanism for performing positioning for printing an exposure pattern in the exposure machine, and a substrate in the exposure unit. Substrate transfer robots for carrying out the above are integrated into a unit and configured.

In the processing procedure by this apparatus, first, the processing unit performs the substrate processing before the exposure processing, then the exposure unit performs the exposure processing, and the processing unit performs the substrate processing after the exposure processing again. Done. Therefore, it is necessary to transfer (deliver) the substrate between the processing unit and the exposure unit, and this type of apparatus is provided with a substrate transfer device for transferring the substrate between these units. Conventionally, this substrate transfer device is configured by integrally integrating a substrate transfer robot, a substrate transfer table, a substrate loading table, a substrate unloading table, a buffer section, and the like. This unit is called an interface unit (hereinafter referred to as "IF unit").

The structure of a conventional IF unit (substrate transfer device) will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 18A is an overall plan sectional view of a substrate processing apparatus including an IF unit according to a conventional example, and FIG. 18B is a front view of the IF unit according to the conventional example as seen from the processing unit side. Figure (c) is a side view thereof. In addition, XYZ orthogonal coordinates are attached to each drawing in order to clarify the positional relationship of each drawing.

Reference numeral 101 in the figure denotes an IF unit 100.
It is a substrate transfer robot provided inside. The substrate transfer robot 101 includes a substrate support unit 102 that supports a substrate W.
An X-direction moving mechanism 103 that moves the substrate supporting unit 102 in the X-axis direction in the drawing, and a Z-direction moving mechanism 104 that moves the substrate supporting unit 102 in the Z-axis direction in the drawing via the X-direction moving mechanism 103. A Y-direction moving mechanism 105 that moves the substrate supporting unit 102 in the Y-axis direction in the drawing is provided via the Z-direction moving mechanism 104 and the X-direction moving mechanism 103. As a result, the substrate transfer robot 101 includes the substrate support unit 1
The substrate W is placed and supported on 02 to move the substrate W in the X-, Y-, and Z-axis directions (in the three-dimensional space), and the substrate transfer table 110, the substrate loading table 111, the substrate unloading table 112, and the buffer section 113 are provided. The substrate W is configured to be transferred (delivered) between (each position of) the arbitrary storage shelves 113a.

The substrate transfer table 110 is the processing unit 2
This is a base for transferring the substrate W to and from the (substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2), and the substrate loading base 1
11. The substrate unloading table 112 delivers and receives the substrate W to and from the exposure unit 4 (a substrate transport robot in the exposure unit 4 not shown) (loading into the exposure unit 4 and exposure unit 4).
It is a table for carrying out from.

Reference numeral 4a in FIG. 18 (b) indicates that when the substrate W is transferred between the exposure unit 4 and the IF unit 100, the substrate transfer robot in the exposure unit 4 supporting the substrate W passes through. It is an opening for doing. Although not shown, when the substrate W is transferred between the processing unit 2 and the IF unit 100, an opening for the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 supporting the substrate W to pass through is also processed. It is provided between the unit 2 and the IF unit 100.

The buffer section 113 is provided with a plurality of storage shelves 113a for temporarily storing a plurality of substrates W, and there is a time difference between the processing time in the processing unit 2 and the processing time in the exposure unit 4. It is provided to temporarily store the substrate W when it occurs.

The processing time in the exposure unit 4 is approximately the time required for printing the exposure pattern by the exposure machine,
It is determined by the transport time of the substrate W in the exposure unit 4 and the time required for positioning the substrate W. Of these, the processing time of the former two is substantially constant, but the time required for positioning varies.

On the other hand, the processing time in the processing unit 2 is roughly the processing time required for each substrate processing such as resist coating, pre-baking, development and post-baking before and after the exposure processing performed in this processing unit 2 and the processing unit 2. And the processing time is substantially constant. Further, the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 transfers the substrate W (hereinafter, referred to as “pre-exposure substrate”) W that has been processed before the exposure processing according to the processing time in the exposure unit 4 to the IF unit 100. To the substrate transfer robot in the exposure unit 4 and to transfer the substrate from the exposure unit 4 via the IF unit 100 for which the exposure processing has been completed (hereinafter,
The “exposed substrate” W is taken into the processing unit 2. The timing of sending the pre-exposure substrate W to the IF unit 100 by the substrate transport robot 23 in the processing unit 2 and the timing of taking the exposed substrate W into the processing unit 2 are generally the substrate W in the exposure unit 4. It is determined based on the exposure processing time (average exposure processing time) in the exposure unit 4 with the positioning time of 1 as the average positioning time.

If the exposure processing is performed on the exposure unit 4 side in accordance with the average exposure processing time, the processing unit 2
Of the pre-exposure substrate W that is sent out from the exposure unit 4 and transferred to the exposure unit 4 via the IF unit 100, or the exposed substrate W that is transferred from the exposure unit 4 and taken into the processing unit 2 via the IF unit 100. Transport (delivery) is performed smoothly. However, as described above, since the positioning time of the substrate W in the exposure unit 4 varies, the pre-exposure substrate W or the exposed substrate W may not be smoothly transported.

For example, when a certain pre-exposure substrate W is loaded into the exposure unit 4 and its positioning requires a time longer than the average positioning time, the next pre-exposure substrate W is next.
Even if the wafer W is sent out from the processing unit 2 to the IF unit 100, since the pre-exposure substrate W previously carried in has been subjected to the exposure processing in the exposure unit 4, the IF unit 10
The substrate transfer robot 101 in 0 cannot transfer the pre-exposure substrate W to the substrate transfer robot in the exposure unit 4, so that the transfer of the substrate W in the IF unit 100 is delayed.

Further, since the exposure processing in the exposure unit 4 is not performed within the average exposure processing time, the exposure processing from the exposure unit 4 to the IF
The timing of unloading the exposed substrate W to the unit 100 and the I by the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2.
Exposed substrate W from F unit 100 to processing unit 2
If there is a discrepancy between the capture timing of
The substrate transfer robot 101 in the F unit 100 cannot transfer the exposed substrate W to the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 even if the exposed substrate W is carried out from the exposure unit 4, and the IF unit 100 is also there. The transfer of the substrate W inside is delayed.

In this way, the substrate W in the IF unit 100 is
If the transfer of the wafer is delayed, a series of processing in the processing unit 2 and a series of processing in the exposure unit 4 are delayed, and eventually the throughput of the entire substrate processing apparatus is reduced.

Therefore, in the conventional apparatus, the IF unit 10
The buffer unit 113 is provided in the unit 0 to transfer the unexposed substrate W to the substrate transfer robot in the exposure unit 4 and the exposed substrate W to the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 as described later. When the substrate W cannot be carried out, the substrate W is temporarily stored in the storage shelf 113a of the buffer unit 113 to prevent the transfer of the substrate W in the IF unit 100 from being delayed.

The substrate transfer operation in the conventional IF unit 100 is as follows according to the processing procedure of the entire substrate processing apparatus described above.

First, the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 places the pre-exposure substrate W on the substrate transfer table 110. Substrate transfer robot 101 in IF unit 100
Is configured to raise (move in the Z-axis direction) the substrate support portion 102 from below the substrate W placed on the substrate transfer table 110 to receive and support the substrate W on the substrate support portion 102.
The substrate W is moved to the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, and the substrate support 102 is lowered from above the substrate loading table 111 (moving in the Z-axis direction) to bring the substrate W into the substrate loading table. Place it on 111. The pre-exposure substrate W placed on the substrate loading table 111 is loaded into the exposure unit 4 by the substrate transport robot in the exposure unit 4.

In the above-described operation of transporting the pre-exposure substrate W,
For example, it takes a long time to position the pre-exposure substrate W that has been loaded into the exposure unit 4 (loaded two times before),
When the exposure processing time is longer than the average exposure processing time, the pre-exposure substrate W placed on the substrate loading table 111 by the previous transfer of the pre-exposure substrate W by the substrate transfer robot 101 is not carried into the exposure unit 4. Since the substrate transfer robot 101 remains mounted on the substrate carry-in table 111, the substrate transfer robot 101 can place the pre-exposure substrate W received this time from the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 on the substrate carry-in table 111. Can not. In such a case, the substrate transfer robot 10
First, the pre-exposure substrate W is temporarily stored in an arbitrary storage shelf 113a of the buffer unit 113. Then, the pre-exposure substrate W placed on the substrate loading table 111 is transferred to the exposure unit 4
When the substrate transfer robot therein takes the substrate W into the exposure unit 4 and the substrate loading table 111 becomes empty, the substrate transfer robot 101 takes out the pre-exposure substrate W stored in the buffer unit 113, and the substrate loading table 111. Place it on. As a result, even if the exposure process in the exposure unit 4 is delayed, the transfer of the substrate W in the IF unit 100 is not delayed, and the substrate W is placed on the substrate transfer table 110 for a long time. The pre-exposure substrate W sent out from the processing unit 2 at a constant timing without being left as it is.
Can be received in the IF unit 100.

The exposed substrate W, which has been subjected to the exposure processing in the exposure unit 4, is carried out of the exposure unit 4 by the substrate carrying robot in the exposure unit 4 and the substrate carry-out table 112.
Placed on. The substrate transfer robot 101 in the IF unit 100 raises the substrate support section 102 from below the substrate W placed on the substrate unloading table 112 to cause the substrate W to move.
To the substrate supporting unit 102 to support the substrate supporting unit 1
02 is appropriately moved in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, and the substrate support portion 102 is lowered from above the substrate transfer table 110 to place the substrate W on the substrate transfer table 110. The exposed substrate W placed on the substrate delivery table 110 is taken into the processing unit 2 by the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2.

In the transfer operation of the exposed substrate W,
The exposure processing in the exposure unit 4 is not performed within the average exposure processing time, and the timing of unloading the exposed substrate W from the exposure unit 4 to the IF unit 100 and the IF transfer processing by the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 from the IF unit 100. If there is a deviation from the timing of taking in the exposed substrate W to the processing unit 2, the exposed substrate W previously transported (in some cases, the unexposed substrate W) is still placed on the substrate transfer table 110. Therefore, at this time, the substrate transfer robot 101 cannot place the substrate W received this time from the substrate transfer robot in the exposure unit 4 on the substrate delivery table 110. Even in such a case, the substrate transfer robot 101 temporarily stores the substrate W in an arbitrary storage shelf 113a of the buffer unit 113,
When the substrate transfer robot 110 in the processing unit 2 takes in the substrate W placed on the substrate transfer table 110 into the processing unit 2 and the substrate transfer table 110 becomes empty, the substrate transfer robot 101 uses the buffer unit. The exposed substrate W stored in 113 is taken out and placed on the substrate transfer table 110. As a result, even if the exposure processing time in the exposure unit 4 fluctuates, the transfer of the substrate W in the IF unit 100 is not delayed, and the substrate W is placed on the substrate unloading table 110 for a long time. The exposed substrate W from the exposure unit 4 without leaving
The F unit 100 can be carried out smoothly.

[0023]

However, the prior art having such a structure has the following problems. In the IF unit 100 according to the conventional example, the buffer unit 113 is provided in consideration of the time difference between the processing time in the processing unit 2 and the processing time in the exposure unit 4. However, in positioning the substrate W in the exposure unit 4. Generally, the time required varies from one substrate W to another, and therefore the buffer unit 113 is frequently used. That is, in almost all cases, the substrate transfer robot 101 in the IF unit 100 temporarily transfers the pre-exposure substrate W from the substrate transfer table 110 to the buffer unit 113 and then from the buffer unit 113 to the substrate transfer table 111. Similarly, when the exposed substrate W is transferred, the transfer from the substrate unloading table 112 to the substrate transfer table 110 is performed once by the buffer unit 11
It goes through 3. As described above, in the conventional configuration, the position for transferring the substrate W by the substrate transfer robot 101 in the IF unit 100 in order to cope with the time difference between the processing time in the processing unit 2 and the processing time in the exposure unit 4. The number increases as much as it passes through the buffer unit 113, and it is difficult to reduce the time required for the transportation of the substrate W itself.

Further, as shown in FIG. 18 (a), the conventional processing unit 2 includes a first device arranging portion 21 (generally, a spin coater, a spin developer, etc. are arranged).
And a transfer path 24 of the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 with the second device disposition portion 22 (generally, a bake unit or the like is disposed) interposed therebetween.
As shown in FIG. 18, the substrate transfer table 110 of the IF unit 100 is arranged near the center in the Y-axis direction in the drawing. That is, since the substrate transfer table 110 is arranged in the moving area of the substrate transfer robot 101, for example, the substrate transfer table 110 is sandwiched between the substrate transfer table 111 and the substrate transfer table 112.
When the substrate W is transferred between the buffer unit 113 and the substrate loading table 111 or the substrate unloading table 112, which are arranged on the opposite side, the substrate transfer robot 101 operates the substrate transfer table 110.
In some cases, it is necessary to move the substrate W while avoiding such movement, and due to such a wasteful operation, reduction in the transfer time of the substrate W in the IF unit 100 is hindered.

The substrate transfer in the IF unit 100 may be carried out at a timing when the substrate W is transferred between the processing unit 2 and the exposure unit 4. The timing of delivery of the substrate W between the processing unit 2 and the exposure unit 4 roughly depends on the average exposure processing time in the exposure unit 4. Conventionally, the average exposure processing time in the exposure unit 4 has been comparatively low at about 60 seconds / one substrate, so that the substrate transfer apparatus in the IF unit 100 according to the conventional example can be used in the IF unit 100. Even if there are a large number of substrate transfer positions, or an unnecessary operation of avoiding the substrate transfer table 110 occurs, the IF unit 1
The transfer of the substrate in 00 can be performed within the timing of the transfer of the substrate W between the processing unit 2 and the exposure unit 4, which is not a big problem.

However, in recent years, an exposure unit 4 has been provided in which the average exposure processing time is increased from 40 seconds / one substrate to 30 seconds / one substrate. In the processing unit 2, it is possible to speed up the processing time in the processing unit 2 by, for example, optimizing the transfer operation by the substrate transfer robot 23, and the exposure processing time in the exposure unit 4 is speeded up. However, it can be made to follow to some extent. However, when the IF unit 100 according to the conventional example is used as the IF unit of the substrate processing apparatus in which the exposure unit 4 which has been speeded up as described above and the processing unit 2 which follows the exposure unit 4 are incorporated,
As described above, since it is difficult to reduce the transfer time of the substrate W in the IF unit 100, the transfer of the substrate W in the IF unit 100 is performed by transferring the substrate W between the processing unit 2 and the exposure unit 4. There is a delay compared to the timing. If a delay occurs in the transfer of the substrate in the IF unit 100, the delay causes the substrate processing before the exposure processing (performed by the processing unit 2) to the exposure processing, and the exposure processing to the next substrate after the exposure processing. The processing flow between the processings (performed by the processing unit 2) cannot be performed smoothly, and as a result, the throughput is high in the substrate processing apparatus as a whole even though the processing speed is increased in the exposure unit 4 and the processing unit 2. There is an inconvenience that it is not realized. Further, the substrate W between the exposure unit 4 speeded up as described above and the processing unit 2 that follows it
The fact is that no IF unit (substrate transfer device) capable of following the delivery timing has been developed and proposed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the substrate transfer itself in the interface unit while coping with the time difference between the processing time in the processing unit and the processing time in the exposure unit. It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate transfer device which achieves high speed.

[0028]

The present invention has the following configuration in order to achieve the above object. That is, according to the present invention, in the photolithography process, a substrate is transferred (delivered) between a processing unit for performing various substrate processes before and after the exposure process and an exposure unit for performing the exposure process. In the substrate transfer apparatus, the substrate is transferred between the substrate storage unit having a plurality of storage units capable of temporarily storing a plurality of substrates and the exposure unit, and an arbitrary storage unit of the substrate storage unit. A substrate transfer means for storing / removing a substrate with respect to the substrate, and the substrate transfer means in the processing unit provided in the processing unit transfers the substrate to an arbitrary storage part of the substrate storage part. It is characterized in that it is configured to be stored / taken out.

[0029]

The operation of the present invention is as follows. First, the pre-exposure substrate is transferred from the processing unit to the exposure unit by the intra-processing unit substrate transfer means that stores the pre-exposure substrate in an arbitrary storage section of the substrate storage section, and then the substrate transfer in the substrate processing apparatus. Means are provided by taking out the substrate from the substrate storage portion and delivering it to the exposure unit. When the exposure processing in the exposure unit is prolonged and the substrate sent from the processing unit later cannot be delivered to the exposure unit, the substrate transport means in the processing unit sequentially stores the pre-exposure substrates in different storage units. Then, when the pre-exposure substrate can be delivered to the exposure unit, the substrate carrying means takes out the pre-exposure substrate from the substrate storage section and delivers it to the exposure unit.

Further, when the exposed substrate is transferred from the exposure unit to the processing unit, the substrate transfer means in the substrate transfer device receives the exposed substrate from the exposure unit and stores the substrate in an arbitrary storage portion of the substrate storage portion. The substrate transfer means in the processing unit takes out the substrate from the substrate storage portion and takes it into the processing unit. Also in this case, when the exposed substrate is unloaded from the exposure unit at a timing earlier than the timing of loading the substrate into the processing unit, the substrate transport means temporarily stores the substrate in another storage section of the substrate storage section. Then, the substrate transport means within the processing unit sequentially takes out the exposed substrate from the substrate storage portion and takes it into the processing unit at each timing of taking the exposed substrate into the processing unit.

[0031]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. <First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a plan sectional view showing the overall structure of a substrate processing apparatus including a substrate transfer apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a buffer of the first embodiment apparatus. 3 is a front view of the apparatus of the first embodiment as seen from the exposure unit side. FIG. 1 and subsequent figures are provided with an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system in order to clarify the positional relationship.

In the present embodiment, the second embodiment described later and various modifications, the present invention is applied to a substrate processing apparatus for performing each substrate processing of a photolithography process on a semiconductor wafer (substrate). Although the case is taken as an example, the present invention can be similarly applied to a substrate processing apparatus for various substrates such as a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display.

As shown in FIG. 1, a substrate processing apparatus to which the substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention is applied comprises an indexer 1, a processing unit 2, an interface unit (IF unit) 3, an exposure unit 4 and the like. ing.

The indexer 1 is a loading / unloading table 1 for delivering the carrier C to and from an automatic carrier transporting device (Auto Guided Vehicle: hereinafter referred to as "AGV") 5.
1 or the carrier C placed on the loading / unloading table 11
And a substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2, which will be described later, and the like.

The processing unit 2 includes a first device placement section 21.
And a second device placement section 22 and a transfer path 24 of the substrate transfer robot 23. In the first device placement unit 21,
A plurality of spin coaters SC for applying resist, spin developers SD for developing, and the like are provided along the X-axis direction in FIG.
In addition, the second device placement unit 22 is provided with a bake unit BU for performing pre-baking, post-baking, and the like, a plurality of edge exposure units EEW, and the like. The bake unit BU includes a bake device for heating the substrate W to a predetermined temperature, and a cooling device for cooling the heated substrate W near room temperature, and each of the bake device and the cooling device is a plurality of units. It is arranged two-dimensionally in the X-axis direction and the vertical direction (Z-axis direction orthogonal to the X and Y axes and perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1).

The transfer path 24 of the board transfer robot 23 is
It is provided between the first and second device placement parts 21 and 22. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the substrate transfer robot 23 includes a horseshoe-shaped hand 23b having a plurality of protrusions 23a for mounting and supporting the substrate W, and the hand 23b in the horizontal direction (XY plane). Telescopic unit 23c for telescopic and telescopic unit 2
A rotating part 23d for rotating the hand 23b around the Z axis via 3c, and a Z direction moving part 23e for moving the hand 23b in the Z axis direction via the expanding / contracting part 23c and rotating part 23d.
And expansion / contraction part 23c, rotating part 23d, Z-direction moving part 23e
It is configured to include an X-direction moving unit 23f that moves the hand 23b in the X-axis direction via the. Telescopic part 23c and Z
The direction moving portion 23e and the X direction moving portion 23f are the screw shaft 23.
g, a motor 23h, and a guide shaft 23i, which is a well-known uniaxial moving mechanism.
j.

The substrate transfer robot 23 appropriately combines the rotation of the hand 23b around the Z axis, the movement in the X and Z axis directions, and the expansion / contraction operation to provide a spin coater SC, a spin developer CD, a baking device, a cooling device, Edge exposure part EE
Access to a processing apparatus such as W (loading / unloading operation of the substrate W to / from each apparatus), and the substrate W to an arbitrary storage rack 32a of the buffer unit 32 in the IF unit 3 described later.
Are stored (placed) / removed, and the substrate W is transferred between each device in the processing unit 2 and the buffer section 32.

For example, when the substrate W is loaded into the cooling device CA shown in the vertical cross section of FIG. 4A, it is carried out as follows. First, the hand 23b is appropriately moved in the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction to position the hand 23b in front of the target cooling device CA, and by rotating the hand 23b around the Z-axis, the hand 23b is expanded and contracted in the cooling device CA direction. It can be so. Next, the hand 23b is inserted into the cooling device CA from the substrate loading / unloading port io of the cooling device CA, and the hand 23b is inserted.
The substrate W placed and supported on is inserted into the cooling device CA.
An elevating pin ZP is provided in the cooling device CA, and the elevating pin ZP moves up to receive the substrate W from the hand 23b. Then, after handing over the substrate W, the hand 23b is withdrawn from the cooling device CA. Next, the substrate W received by lowering the elevating pins ZP is placed on the cool plate CP and cooling of the substrate W is started. The unloading of the substrate W from the cooling device CA is performed in the reverse operation of the above-described loading operation. The operation of the substrate transfer robot 23 at the time of accessing other processing apparatuses is also similar to the above-described operation. In addition, the code | symbol BA in FIG.4 (a) has shown the baking device.

The substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 corresponds to the in-processing unit substrate transfer means in the present invention.

In the processing unit 2, a spin coater SC and a spin developer SD are provided with a resist solution and a chemical solution,
A processing liquid supply unit for supplying a processing liquid such as a developing liquid and a cleaning liquid, and a storage unit (not shown) for storing the processing liquid are also provided. The processing unit 2 is configured by integrally uniting the above-mentioned elements.

The IF unit 3 is a portion corresponding to the substrate transfer device according to the present invention, and as shown in FIGS. And are integrally formed as a unit. Further, in this embodiment, the IF unit 3 is also provided with two table bases 37a and 37b for setting the first and second cassettes 36a and 36b, respectively.

The buffer section 32 is an extension of the movement path of the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 in the X-axis direction and the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 which will be described later.
Is arranged at a position intersecting with the extension of the movement path of the X-axis direction, and is supported by the inner surface of the IF unit 3. In the buffer section 32, a plurality of storage shelves 32a are stacked and formed in a multi-step manner in the Z-axis (vertical) direction. Each storage shelf 32
a is the processing unit 2 on the side wall 32b on the exposure unit 4 side.
A plurality of substrate support pins 32d are vertically fixed and provided on a pair of support arms 32c that are provided so as to project toward the side, and the substrate W is placed on the substrate support pins 32d. It is stored in the storage rack 32a. In addition, each storage rack 32 a is provided with the substrate transfer robot 2 in the processing unit 2.
3 and a surface facing the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 described later is opened so that the substrate W can be stored / removed by each of the substrate transfer robots 23 and 33. The buffer section 32 corresponds to the board storage section of the present invention, and the storage rack 32a corresponds to the storage section of the board storage section of the present invention.

The substrate W is stored in the buffer section 32a by the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 as shown in FIG.
This is performed as shown in (b) and (c). First, the hand 23b is moved to the end on the IF unit 3 side in the X-axis direction by the X-direction moving unit 23f, and the hand 23b is rotated by the rotating unit 23d about the Z-axis.
To be able to expand and contract in the direction of the buffer portion 32. Then, the height of the hand 23b is adjusted by the Z-direction moving portion 23e in accordance with the height in the Z-axis (vertical) direction of the storage rack 32a of the buffer portion 32 in which the substrate W is to be stored. In addition, the movement of the hand 23b in the X-axis direction, the rotation around the Z-axis,
Either of the movements in the Z-axis direction may be performed first. Next, the substrate W which extends and supports the hand 23b is inserted into the intended storage rack 32a, and the Z-direction moving unit 23e lowers the hand 23b by a small amount in the Z-axis direction to store the substrate W in the storage rack. Placed on the substrate support pin 32d of 32a and stored,
The back surface of the stored substrate W and the support arm 32 of the storage shelf 32a
The hand 23b is lowered to a position between the upper surface of c and the back surface of the housed substrate W and the hand 23b do not contact each other. Then, the hand 23d is withdrawn from the storage shelf 32a and the storage of the substrate W in the arbitrary storage shelf 32a is completed.
Further, the substrate W is taken out from the arbitrary storage shelf 32a of the buffer unit 32 by performing the operation opposite to the above-described substrate W storage, and lifting the substrate W from below the substrate W in which the hand 23b is stored. Be done.

Reference numeral 2a in FIG. 3 indicates that the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 supporting the substrate W passes when the substrate W is transferred between the processing unit 2 and the IF unit 3. Is the opening.

The substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3
Is a Y-direction drive unit 33a, a first connecting member 33b, a Z-direction drive unit 33c, a second connecting member 33d, and a rotation drive unit 3.
3e, extension / contraction drive unit 33f, substrate support unit 33g, and the like.

The Y-direction drive portion 33a is fixed to the inner surface of the IF unit 3, a screw shaft 33aa is provided rotatably in the Y-axis direction, and the guide shaft 33a is parallel to the screw shaft 33aa.
b is also provided internally, and a motor 33ac for rotating the screw shaft 33aa in the forward and reverse directions is also provided internally. The Y-direction drive unit 33 a is a telescopic drive unit 33 of the substrate transfer robot 33.
f and the substrate support portion 33g are movably arranged between the front surface of the buffer portion 32 in the Y-axis direction and the front surface of the substrate loading table 34, which will be described later.

The base end of the first connecting member 33b has the above-mentioned Y
The first connecting member 33b is screwed onto the screw shaft 33aa in the direction drive unit 33a and slidably fitted on the guide shaft 33ab, and the first connecting member 33b is moved in the Y-axis direction by rotating the screw shaft 33aa in the forward and reverse directions. It is configured to move to. In addition, the Z-direction drive unit 3 is attached to the tip of the first connecting member 33b.
3c is fixed.

The Z-direction drive portion 33c includes a screw shaft 33ca.
Is provided rotatably in the Z-axis direction, a guide shaft (not shown) is provided parallel to the screw shaft 33ca, and the screw shaft 3ca
A motor 33cb for rotating 3ca in the forward and reverse directions is also internally provided.

The base end of the second connecting member 33d has the above-mentioned Z
The screw shaft 33ca is screwed into the direction drive portion 33c, and is slidably fitted to the guide shaft.
Is rotated in the forward and reverse directions to move the second connecting member 33d in the Z-axis direction. Also, the second
A rotary drive unit 33e is fixedly provided at the tip of the connecting member 33d.

The rotary drive unit 33e is provided with an upper rotary shaft 33e.
a is erected so as to be rotatable in the Z-axis direction.
A motor 33eb for rotating a in the forward and reverse directions is internally provided.

A telescopic drive unit 31f is fixedly provided at the tip of the rotary shaft 33ea. The expansion / contraction drive unit 33f includes a timing belt 33f driven by a motor 33fa.
b is installed internally. The base end portion of the substrate support portion 33g is connected to a part of the timing belt 33fb, and the timing belt 33fb is driven to extend and retract the substrate support portion 33g with respect to the extension / contraction drive portion 33f. There is. In addition, the rotary shaft 3 of the rotary drive unit 31e.
By rotating 3ea in the forward and reverse directions, the expansion and contraction drive unit 33
f and the substrate supporting portion 33g are rotated around the Z-axis, and X-
The substrate support portion 33g is configured to be expandable / contractible in an arbitrary direction within the Y plane (horizontal plane). Further, the Z-direction drive unit 3
By rotating the screw shaft 33ca of 3c in the forward and reverse directions,
The height in the Z-axis direction for expanding and contracting the substrate support 33g is configured to be adjustable via the second connecting member 33d, the rotation drive unit 33e, and the expansion and contraction drive unit 33f. Further, by rotating the screw shaft 33aa of the Y-direction drive unit 33a in the forward and reverse directions, the first connecting member 33b, the Z-direction drive unit 33c, and the second connection member 33b.
The expansion / contraction drive unit 33f and the substrate support unit 33g can be displaced in the Y-axis direction via the connecting member 33d and the rotation drive unit 33e.

The Z-direction driving portion 33c is provided with the second connecting member 33 so that the extension / contraction driving portion 33f can rotate around the Z-axis even when the extension / contraction driving portion 33f is lowered in the Z-axis direction.
It is arranged at a position deviated from the lower side of the expansion and contraction drive unit 33f and the rotation drive unit 33e via d.

With the above structure, the substrate transfer robot 3
The reference numeral 3 designates the storage / removal of the substrate W into / from the arbitrary storage rack 32a of the buffer unit 32, the placement of the substrate W on the substrate loading table 34, the removal of the substrate W from the substrate unloading table 35, and the cassettes 36a and 36b described later. The substrate W is stored / removed with respect to.

When storing / removing the substrate W in / from the arbitrary storage rack 32a of the buffer unit 32, the expansion / contraction direction of the substrate support 33g is set to the buffer unit 32 direction, and the substrate W is expanded / contracted according to the height of the storage rack 32a to be stored / removed. The height of the drive unit 33f and the substrate support unit 33g in the Z-axis direction is adjusted, and the storage / removal of the substrate W at this time is also performed by the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 in the buffer unit 32. Storage of substrate W in arbitrary storage shelf 32a /
The operation is similar to that of taking out.

The substrate loading table 34 and the substrate unloading table 35 are provided with a plurality of substrate support pins 34a, 35a fixedly erected in the vertical direction, and a substrate W is placed on these substrate support pins 34a, 35a for exposure. The substrate W is transferred to and from the unit 4 (a substrate transport robot in the exposure unit 4 not shown). The substrate loading stage 34 and the substrate unloading stage 35 are arranged along the moving direction (Y-axis direction) of the Y-direction drive unit 33a of the substrate transport robot 33 in the IF unit 3 in the order from the buffer unit 32. , Substrate loading table 34
Are arranged. Although not shown, when the substrate W is transferred between the exposure unit 4 and the IF unit 3, the opening for the substrate transfer robot in the exposure unit 4 supporting the substrate W to pass through is also the exposure unit. 4 and the IF unit 3.

The substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3
The placement of the substrate W on the substrate loading table 34 by means of is performed as shown in FIG. First, the Y-direction drive unit 33a moves the extension / contraction drive unit 33f and the substrate support unit 33g in the Y-axis direction to position the extension / contraction drive unit 33f and the substrate support unit 33g in front of the substrate loading table 34 in the X-axis direction and rotate them. Rotation of the extension / contraction drive unit 33f about the Z axis by the drive unit 33e allows the substrate support unit 33g to extend / contract in the direction of the substrate loading table 34. Then, according to the height of the substrate loading table 34 in the Z-axis direction, the substrate supporting unit 3 is driven by the Z-direction driving unit 33c.
The height of 3g is adjusted. In addition, Y of the substrate supporting portion 33g
Any of the movement in the axial direction, the rotation around the Z axis, and the movement in the Z axis direction may be performed first. Next, the substrate W supporting the extended substrate support portion 33g is positioned slightly above the substrate support pins 34a of the substrate loading table 34, and the Z-direction drive portion 33c.
The substrate supporting portion 33g is lowered by a small amount in the Z-axis direction to mount the substrate W on the substrate supporting pins 34a of the substrate loading table 34, and at a position where the back surface of the mounted substrate W and the substrate supporting portion 33g do not contact each other. The descent of the substrate support 33g is stopped. Then, the substrate support portion 33g is withdrawn to complete the placement of the substrate W on the substrate loading table 34.

The removal of the substrate W from the substrate unloading table 35 by the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 is the reverse operation of placing the substrate W on the substrate loading table 34, and the substrate supporting portion 33g is operated. The substrate W is lifted from below the substrate W placed on the substrate support pins 35a of the substrate carry-out table 35.

The substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 corresponds to the substrate transfer means in the substrate transfer device of the present invention.

The table base 37a on which the first cassette 36a is set is the substrate transfer robot 3 in the IF unit 3.
3 on the side of one end (the end opposite to the buffer part 32) of the Y-direction drive part 33 a so that the I part faces the buffer part 32.
The F unit 3 is fixedly provided on the inner surface of the F unit 3.

The table base 37b on which the second cassette 36b is set is closer to the buffer section 32 in the Y-axis direction than the table base 37a, and the table base 37a.
It is fixedly provided on the inner surface of the IF unit 3 at a position higher than the Z axis. Further, the height of the table base 37b in the Z-axis direction is as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 3 when the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 is located on the substrate loading base 34 (table base 37a) side. The upper end of the Z-direction drive unit 33c of the substrate transfer robot 33 is set to a position where it does not interfere.

The first and second cassettes 36a and 36b are provided with a plurality of storage shelves (not shown) for storing a plurality of substrates W in a horizontal posture. These cassettes 36a and 36b are used, for example, when accommodating a pilot substrate (exposure test substrate) and performing an exposure test, or when the IF unit 3 is used as the indexer 1.

Incidentally, "when the IF unit 3 is used as the indexer 1" means the indexer 1 of the apparatus of this embodiment.
In the case where only the exposure processing is performed by the exposure unit 4 of the apparatus of the present embodiment without passing through the processing unit 2 and the processing unit 2, the substrate W (pre-exposure substrate) W that has been subjected to the processing just before the exposure processing by another processing apparatus W Are stored in the cassettes 36a and 36b and set on the table bases 37a and 37b, and the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 sequentially transfers the pre-exposure substrate W from the cassettes 36a and 36b to the exposure unit 4 for exposure processing. And expose the exposed substrate W to the cassette 36a or 36b again.
This is a case in which the cassettes 36a and 36b are taken out from the IF unit 3 and are used in a manner such that the exposed substrate W is subjected to a process performed after the exposure process by another processing device.

The setting and removal of the cassettes 36a and 36b with respect to the table bases 37a and 37b are performed by opening a door 38 (see FIG. 1) provided on one side of the IF unit 3 and from there.

The exposure unit 4 is for performing exposure.
For example, an exposure machine such as a reduction projection exposure machine (stepper),
An alignment mechanism that positions the exposure pattern for printing in the exposure machine, and a substrate transfer robot that transfers the substrate W in the exposure unit 4 (neither is shown).
Etc. are integrated into a unit and configured. The substrate transport robot in the exposure unit 4 takes in the pre-exposure substrate W placed on the substrate loading table 34 in the IF unit 3 into the exposure unit 4, and the exposure process in the exposure unit 4 is completed. The exposed substrate W is also unloaded from the exposure unit 4 and placed on the substrate unloading table 35 in the IF unit 3. The operation of taking out the substrate W from the substrate loading table 34 and placing the substrate W on the substrate loading table 35 by the substrate transportation robot in the exposure unit 4 is performed by the substrate transportation robot in the IF unit 3 described in FIG. The removal of the substrate W from the substrate loading table 34 by the 33 and the substrate loading table 3
The same operation as the operation of placing the substrate W on the substrate 5 is performed.

Next, the structure of the control system of this substrate processing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. This apparatus includes an indexer controller 6a, a processing unit controller 6b, an IF unit controller 6c, an exposure unit controller 6d and the like.

The indexer control section 6a controls the substrate loading / unloading robot 12 in the indexer 1 to carry out the carrier C
The substrate loading operation in the indexer 1 from taking out the unprocessed substrate (the substrate before being subjected to a series of processes by the present substrate processing apparatus) W from the process to delivering the unprocessed substrate W to the substrate transport robot 23 in the processing unit 2. In addition to controlling, the substrate unloading operation in the indexer 1 from receiving the processed substrate (the substrate for which a series of processes has been completed by the present substrate processing apparatus) W from the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 to storing it in the carrier C is performed. Have control. Also,
The indexer control unit 6a transmits information to and from the production line management computer 6e, exchanges information regarding the timing of loading and unloading of the carrier C by the AGV 5, and the processing unit control unit 6 described later.
Information is also transmitted with b, and information regarding the timing of delivery of the substrate W to the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 is also exchanged.

The processing unit control section 6b is a device in the processing unit 2 (spin coater SC, spin developer SD, bake apparatus BA, cooling apparatus CA, edge exposure section EEW, substrate transfer robot 23, processing liquid supply section, etc.).
To control a series of processes in the processing unit 2 by operating the operation unit 6
In addition to the sequence set from f, the substrate W is stored (placed) / removed in / from the arbitrary storage rack 32a of the buffer section 32 in the IF unit 3. Information is also transmitted between the processing unit controller 6b and an IF unit controller 6c, which will be described later, to exchange information regarding the storage / removal timing of the substrate W with respect to the buffer 32. Further, the processing unit control section 6b is connected to a memory 6g in which a buffer section management table CT is stored.

The IF unit controller 6c controls the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3, more specifically, the motor 33a of the Y-direction drive unit 33a of the substrate transfer robot 33.
c, the motor 33cb of the Z-direction drive unit 33c, the motor 33eb of the rotation drive unit 33e, the motor 3 of the expansion / contraction drive unit 33f.
Controlling 3fa, processing unit 2 (buffer unit 32)
From the pre-exposure substrate W to the exposure unit 4 (substrate loading table 34) from the exposure unit 4 and the exposure unit 4 (substrate loading table 35)
From the exposure unit 4 to the processing unit 2 (buffer unit 32) (normal processing), the transfer of the unexposed substrate W from the cassettes 36a and 36b to the exposure unit 4 (substrate loading table 34), and the exposure unit 4 (transportation of the exposed substrate W from the substrate unloading table 35) to the cassettes 36a and 36b (special processing).

Information transmission is also performed between the IF unit controller 6c and an exposure unit controller 6d which will be described later.
Information regarding the timing of loading / unloading the substrate W to / from the substrate loading stage 34 and the substrate unloading stage 35 is exchanged. Further, whether to perform the normal process or the special process is set from the operation unit 6f. Further, the memory 6
g is also connected to this IF unit control section 6c, and the buffer section 32 together with the above processing unit control section 6b via the buffer section management table CT in the memory 6g.
The use management of the storage shelves 32a is performed as described later.

The exposure unit controller 6d controls each device (exposure machine, alignment mechanism, substrate transfer robot, etc.) in the exposure unit 4 to take in the pre-exposure substrate W from the substrate loading table 34 in the IF unit 3. After positioning by the alignment mechanism, the exposure pattern is printed by the exposure device, and a series of exposure processes for placing the exposed substrate W on the substrate unloading table 35 in the IF unit 3 is performed.

The indexer control section 6a, the processing unit control section 6b, the IF unit control section 6c, and the exposure unit control section 6d are each constituted by a so-called microcomputer, and each control section 6a is formed according to a program created and stored in advance. The control performed by 6b, 6c and 6d is executed.

Next, the operation of the substrate processing apparatus having the above structure will be described. In the following, the operation when the IF unit 3 performs normal processing will be described.

An example of processing in this case is shown below. [01] Setting of carrier C on loading / unloading table 11 [02] Delivery of unprocessed substrate W from carrier C to substrate transfer robot 23 in processing unit 2 [03] Baking by baking device BA [04] Cooling device CA Cooling by [05] Spin coater SC resist coating [06] Baking by BA baking [07] Cooling by CA CA [08] Edge exposure by edge exposure part EEW [09] Baking by BA baking [10] Cooling Cooling by CA [11] Delivery of pre-exposure substrate W from processing unit 2 to exposure unit 4 [12] Exposure processing by exposure unit 4 [13] Delivery of exposed substrate W from exposure unit 4 to processing unit 2 [14 ] Development by spin developer SD [15] Baking by baking device BA [16] Cooling by cooling device CA [17] Storage of processed substrate W in carrier C [18] Loading / unloading tray Removal of the carrier C from Le 11

The above [01] and [18] are [02],
[17] is [03] to [10] and [14] to [16] by the indexer 1.
Indicates the processing unit 2, and [11] and [13] indicate the IF unit 3
Thus, [12] is executed by the exposure unit 4, respectively.

First, the AGV 5 carries from the previous step a carrier C in which a plurality of unprocessed substrates W before undergoing a series of processes performed in this substrate processing apparatus are carried, and the loading / unloading table 11 of the indexer 1 is loaded. Place it in place ([01]).

Next, the substrate loading / unloading robot 12 of the indexer 1 takes out the unprocessed substrates W one by one from the carrier C placed on the loading / unloading table 11, and sequentially delivers them to the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2. Go ([0
2]).

Then, each substrate processing is performed in the processing unit 2 until the exposure processing is performed ([03] to [1].
0]). Specifically, the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 receives the unprocessed substrate W received from the indexer 1.
First, the wafer W is loaded into the baking device BA, where the substrate W
Is heated (baked) to a predetermined temperature, and when baking is completed,
The substrate transfer robot 23 carries out the substrate W from the baking device BA ([03]).

The unprocessed substrate W is sequentially loaded into the processing unit 2, and the exposed substrate W is sequentially loaded as described later. Therefore, each stage ([03], [06], [0
9] and [15]) may conflict with each other, but the processing unit 2 of the present embodiment is provided with a plurality of baking apparatuses BA, and the baking processing of each stage is performed on these plurality of substrates W. The processing unit 2 is designed so that the processing can be performed in parallel, the throughput of the processing in the processing unit 2 is improved, and the processing time in the exposure unit 4 (average exposure processing time) is designed to be followed even if the processing time is increased. The use of the bake device BA is determined experimentally or theoretically in advance as to how to optimize the throughput, and the processing unit controller 6b uses the bake device BA in this procedure.

Further, the processing unit 2 of this embodiment is provided with a plurality of cooling devices CA, spin coaters SC, edge exposure units EEW, and spin developers SD, which will be described later (see FIG. 1, etc.). It contributes to the improvement of the throughput of internal processing. The method of using each of these devices CA, SC, EEW, SD is also controlled so that the throughput is optimized, similarly to the way of using the bake device BA. Further, the transfer of the substrate W by the substrate transfer robot 23 among the devices BA, CA, SC, EEW, SD in the processing unit 2 is also controlled so that the throughput is optimized, and the throughput in the processing unit 2 is improved. Has been planned.

The substrate transfer robot 23 carries the baked substrate W into the cooling device CA and heats the substrate W.
Is cooled to near room temperature ([04]), the cooled substrate W carried out from the cooling device CA is carried into the spin coater SC, and resist coating is performed there ([05]). Then, the substrate transfer robot 23 carries in the substrate W after the resist coating again to the baking device BA and the cooling device CA in order to perform the baking process and the cooling process ([06], [07]), and then the edge exposure. Department EE
The substrate W is carried into W and edge exposure is performed there ([08]).
It is loaded in the order of A and subjected to a baking process and a cooling process ([09], [10]). The substrate W that has been cooled in [10] (in this sequence, becomes the pre-exposure substrate W) is stored by the substrate transfer robot 23 in an arbitrary storage rack 32 a of the buffer unit 32 in the IF unit 3. The timing at which the substrate transport robot 23 stores the pre-exposure substrate W in the arbitrary storage rack 32a of the buffer unit 32 is determined based on an average exposure processing time by the exposure unit 4 described later, and is set to a predetermined time (for example, 40 seconds). Pre-exposure substrate W every ~ 30 seconds)
Are stored in an arbitrary storage shelf 32a of the buffer section 32.

The pre-exposure substrate W stored in any storage rack 32a of the buffer unit 32 is taken out by the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 and placed on the substrate loading table 34 ([11]). Note that, for example, there is a delay in the exposure processing in the exposure unit 4, and the pre-exposure substrate W previously placed on the substrate loading table 34 is still loaded on the substrate loading table 34 without being taken into the exposure unit 4. In this state, the pre-exposure substrate W newly stored in the buffer unit 32 is loaded into the substrate loading table 3
However, in this embodiment, the substrate W is transferred between the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 and the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 via the buffer section 32. The buffer section 32 is provided with a plurality of storage shelves 32a capable of storing a plurality of substrates W. Therefore, if the pre-exposure substrate W previously stored in the buffer unit 32 by the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 is still stored in the buffer unit 32, the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 has transferred this time. Since the pre-exposure substrate W can be sequentially stored in another storage rack 32a of the buffer section 32, the pre-exposure substrate W can be smoothly sent from the processing unit 2 to the IF unit 3 at a predetermined timing, There is no inconvenience such as a delay in processing in the processing unit 2. On the other hand, I
The substrate transfer robot 33 in the F unit 3 operates according to the empty state of the substrate loading table 34 to store the shelves 32 in the buffer section 32.
Since the pre-exposure substrate W can be sequentially taken out from a and placed on the substrate carry-in table 34, the pre-exposure substrate W in the IF unit 3 is not affected by fluctuations in the exposure processing time in the exposure unit 4. There is no delay in transportation. In addition,
Details of the use management of the buffer unit 32 in this case will be described later.

Pre-exposure substrate W placed on the substrate loading table 34
Is taken into the exposure unit 4 by the substrate transfer robot in the exposure unit 4, is delivered to the alignment mechanism where the positioning processing is performed, and is delivered to the exposure machine in the aligned state to print a predetermined exposure pattern. . Then, the exposed substrate W for which the exposure processing has been completed is carried out of the exposure unit 4 by the substrate carrying robot in the exposure unit 4, and the substrate carry-out table 35 in the IF unit 3 is carried out.
Placed in ([12]).

Exposed substrate W placed on substrate unloading table 35
Are taken out by the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 and stored in an arbitrary storage shelf 32a of the buffer section 32 ([13]). It should be noted that, for example, the exposure processing time by the exposure unit 4 may become shorter or longer, and the timing of carrying out the exposed substrate W from the exposure unit 4 and the timing of loading the processed substrate W into the processing unit 2 may differ. When the exposed substrate W is placed on the substrate unloading table 35, even if the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 does not take in the exposed substrate W into the processing unit 2 in the IF unit 3, Substrate transfer robot 3
When the exposed substrate W is placed on the substrate carry-out table 35, the substrate 3 can be stored in the empty storage rack 32a of the buffer section 32. Further, since the buffer section 32 is provided with a plurality of storage shelves 32a, even if other pre-exposure substrates W and exposed substrates W are stored, another exposure is performed on the storage shelves 32a in another empty state. The finished substrate W can be stored. Therefore, the exposed substrate W in the IF unit 3
When the exposed substrate W is placed on the substrate unloading table 35 without being delayed, the substrate W can be quickly taken out from the substrate unloading table 35, and the exposed substrate W can be transferred to the substrate unloading table 35. The substrate transfer robot in the exposure unit 4 can quickly place the exposed substrate W on the substrate unloading table 35 without leaving it on the substrate for a long time.
There is no need to wait for the exposed substrate W to be unloaded from the substrate and the delay in taking in the next pre-exposure substrate W to the exposure unit 4 does not occur. The details of the use management of the buffer unit 32 in this case will also be described later.

The substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2
Is the exposed substrate W stored in the buffer unit 32 at each timing of loading the exposed substrate W into the processing unit 2.
Is taken out, carried into the spin developer SD and subjected to development processing there, and the exposure pattern printed by the exposure machine of the exposure unit 4 and the edge portion of the substrate W exposed by the edge exposure unit EEW are removed by development ([ 14]).
Note that the timing of taking out the exposed substrate W from the buffer unit 32 by the substrate transport robot 23 is also determined based on the average exposure processing time by the exposure unit 4 described later, and every predetermined time (for example, 40 seconds to 30 seconds). The exposed substrate W is taken out from the buffer section 32.

The developed substrate W is the substrate transfer robot 23.
By this, the baking device BA and the cooling device CA are carried in order,
The baking process and the cooling process are sequentially performed ([15], [16]).
Cooled substrate (processed substrate for this sequence) W
Are sequentially delivered to the substrate loading / unloading robot 12 in the indexer 1 by the substrate transport robot 23, and the substrate loading / unloading robot 12 waits the received processed substrate W at a predetermined position of the loading / unloading table 11 for empty carriers. Sequentially store in C ([17]). Then, the carrier C containing a predetermined number of processed substrates W is taken out of the carry-in / carry-out table 11 by the AGV 5 and carried to the subsequent process ([18]).

Next, the buffer section 32 in the IF unit 3
An example of the usage management of will be described with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 7, in this example, each of the storage shelves 32a of the buffer section 32 is sequentially rack Nos. 1 to n (n).
Is attached, for example, 50, and the storage shelves 32a of shelves No1 to (n / 2) (for example, 1 to 25) are used to store the pre-exposure substrate W (the substrate W transported from the processing unit 2 to the substrate loading table 34). Use, shelf No ((n / 2) +1) to n (for example, 26 to 5)
The storage shelf 32a of 0) is used to store the exposed substrate W (the substrate W transported from the substrate unloading table 35 to the processing unit 2). When storing each substrate W, the storage shelves 32a located below are used in order (the pre-exposure substrate W is in order from the shelf No. 1, and the exposed substrate W is in order from the shelf No. 26).

Further, the buffer section management table CT is provided with an area MA1 for storing the storage status of the storage rack 32a for each rack No. as shown in FIG. 8 (a). A sequence number (substrate number) is attached to the substrate W which is carried into the substrate processing apparatus and subjected to a series of processes and managed. When the substrate W is stored in a certain storage shelf 32a, the area MA corresponding to the shelf number stored in the buffer management table CT is displayed.
The substrate number of the substrate W is stored in 1.

For example, as shown in FIG. 9A, the substrate W ₉₉ with the substrate number 99 is exposed in the exposure unit 4,
It is assumed that the substrate W ₁₀₀ having the substrate number 100 is placed on the substrate carry-in table 34 and no substrate W is stored in the buffer section 32. In this case, the buffer section management table C
T is an area MA corresponding to each shelf number as shown in FIG.
Nothing is stored in 1.

In this state, the substrate W with the substrate number 99
_{While 99} is being exposed, the next unexposed substrate W
_When it is time to send ₁₀₁ (substrate number 101) from the processing unit 2 to the IF unit 3, the processing unit controller 6b uses the shelf numbers (1 to 2) for storing the pre-exposure substrate W.
5) The usage status of the storage shelf 32a is checked in the buffer section management table CT, the empty shelf number at the bottom is searched, and the next pre-exposure substrate W ₁₀₁ is stored in the buffer section 32 at that shelf number.
A command is given to the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 to transfer and store it in the storage rack 32a (in this case, rack No. 1). As a result, as shown in FIG. 9B, the board number 101 is added to the storage shelf 32a of the shelf No. 1 of the buffer unit 32.
Exposed front substrate W ₁₀₁ of housing, also, by the processing unit control section 6b, as shown in FIG. 8 (b), the substrate number of the substrate W ₁₀₁ to area MA1 corresponding to the shelf No1 of buffer management table CT 101 is stored.

If the exposure process in the exposure unit 4 is proceeding smoothly, the next pre-exposure substrate W ₁₀₂ (substrate number 10
The exposure process of the substrate W ₉₉ with the substrate number 99 is completed before the timing 2) is sent from the processing unit 2 to the IF unit 3, and the exposed substrate W ₉₉ is unloaded by the substrate transfer robot in the exposure unit 4. Placed on the table 35,
The pre-exposure substrate W ₁₀₀ of the next substrate number 100 placed on the substrate loading table 34 is taken into the exposure unit 4, and the exposure process is started.

When the exposed substrate W ₉₉ with the substrate number 99 is placed on the substrate unloading table 35, the IF unit control section 6c causes the storage rack 32a of the rack number (26 to 50) used to store the exposed substrate W. Of the exposed substrate W ₉₉ placed on the substrate unloading base 35 by searching the buffer section management table CT for the empty shelf number at the bottom.
The board transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 is instructed to transfer and store the data in the storage rack 32a of the rack No. (shelf No. 26 in this case). As a result, as shown in FIG. 9C, the exposed substrate W ₉₉ of the substrate number ₉₉ is stored in the storage rack 32a of the rack No. 26 of the buffer unit 32, and the IF
The unit control section 6c, as shown in FIG. 8 (c), the substrate number 99 of the substrate W ₉₉ in the area MA1 corresponding to the shelf No26 of buffer management table CT is stored.

The substrate W placed on the substrate loading table 34 by the substrate transport robot in the exposure unit 4.
_{When 100} (substrate number 100) is loaded into the exposure unit 4, the substrate loading table 34 is in an empty state, so the IF unit controller 6c causes the shelf number used for storing the pre-exposure substrate W to be no.
The usage state of the storage shelves 32a of 1 to 25 is checked by the buffer management table CT, and the pre-exposure substrate W having the smallest substrate number is used.
The pre-exposure substrate W (W ₁₀₁ ) of the storage rack 32a (in this case, the storage rack 32a of the rack No. 1) in which is stored is the substrate loading table 3
A command is given to the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 so that the substrate is transferred to and placed on the substrate 4. As a result, FIG.
As shown in (d), the storage rack 32a of the rack No. 1 of the buffer unit 32 becomes empty, and the board number 1 is loaded on the board loading table 34.
The pre-exposure substrate W _{101 of} 01 is placed, and the IF unit control section 6c causes the area MA corresponding to the shelf No. 1 of the buffer section management table CT as shown in FIG. 8D.
The board number (101) stored in 1 is deleted.

The substrate transfer robot in the exposure unit 4 takes in the pre-exposure substrate W ₁₀₀ of the substrate number 100 into the exposure unit 4 and the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 has exposed the substrate number 99. Since the transfer / storage operation of the substrate W _{99 from} the substrate unloading table 35 to the storage rack 32a of the rack No. 26 of the buffer unit 32 is performed in parallel, the exposure of the substrate number 99 to the storage rack 32a of the rack No. 26 of the buffer unit 32 is performed. When the finished substrate W ₉₉ is stored, the substrate loading table 34 is in an empty state. Therefore, the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 can immediately move to the transfer operation of the pre-exposure substrate W _{101 having} the substrate number 101 to the substrate loading table 34. Further, at this time, since the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 is located in the vicinity of the buffer section 32, the exposed substrate W ₉₉ with the substrate number 99 is stored in the rack No. 26.
If the substrate support 33g and the like are stored in the storage rack 32a of No. ₁ and then lowered in the Z-axis direction, the pre-exposure substrate W _{10 1} having the substrate number 101 can be taken out from the storage rack 32a of the rack No. Substrate transfer robot 33 in IF unit 3
Can quickly perform a series of operations from the storing operation of the exposed substrate W to the predetermined storage rack 32a to the taking-out operation of the pre-exposure substrate W from the predetermined storage rack 32a without performing unnecessary operation. it can.

The substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2
At the timing of taking in the exposed substrate W into the processing unit 2 by the processing unit control unit 6b, the buffer unit management table CT indicates the usage status of the storage shelves 32a of the shelves Nos. 26 to 50 used for storing the exposed substrate W. A storage shelf 32 in which the exposed substrate W having the smallest substrate number is stored
The substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 is instructed to take the exposed substrate W (W ₉₉ ) of a (in this case, the storage rack 32a of the rack No. 26) into the processing unit 2. As a result, as shown in FIG. 9E, the storage rack 32a of the rack No. 26 of the buffer unit 32 becomes empty, and the processing unit controller 6b manages the buffer unit as shown in FIG. 8E. The board number (99) stored in the area MA1 corresponding to the shelf No. 26 of the table CT is deleted.

The timing of carrying the pre-exposure substrate W ₁₀₁ from the storage rack 32a of the rack No. 1 to the substrate loading table 34,
Even in the case where the timing of taking in the exposed substrate W ₉₉ from the storage shelf 32a of the shelf No. 26 to the processing unit 2 temporally overlaps, according to the present embodiment, the former transfer is performed within the IF unit 3. The latter transfer is performed independently by the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 by the substrate transfer robot 33, so that these transfer operations are performed in parallel, and no waiting time occurs even if the individual transfer operations overlap. , A series of these transport operations can be performed smoothly.

The states shown in FIGS. 8 (e) and 9 (e) are the same as those shown in FIGS. 8 (a) and 9 (a) (the substrate number is incremented by 1). 8 (e) and FIG.
In the state of (e), when it is time to send a new pre-exposure substrate W ₁₀₂ of the substrate number 102 from the processing unit 2 to the IF unit 3, the above-mentioned (FIGS. 8B to 8E),
9B to 9E are repeated, the pre-exposure substrate W is transferred from the processing unit 2 to the exposure unit 4, and the exposed substrate W from the exposure unit 4 to the processing unit 2.
Are sequentially carried. In this way, when the exposure process in the exposure unit 4 is smoothly performed, the pre-exposure substrate W uses only the storage shelf 32a of the shelf No. 1, and the exposed substrate W uses only the storage shelf 32a of the shelf No. 26. Substrate W using
To deliver. In other words, in this case, shelves No. 1 and 2
The storage rack 32a of 6 is used as a transfer table for the substrates W to transfer the substrates W between the substrate transfer robot 32 in the processing unit 2 and the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3.

However, the exposure processing time in the exposure unit 4 sometimes varies, and the processing in the processing unit 2 in which the internal processing time is set corresponding to the average exposure processing time in the exposure unit 4 It is necessary to carry the substrate W in the IF unit 3 in correspondence with the time difference between the time and the actual exposure processing time in the exposure unit 4. The buffer unit 32 is provided with a plurality of storage shelves 32a for such a case.

For example, there is a delay in the exposure processing in the exposure processing unit 4, and as shown in FIGS.
When the pre-exposure substrate W _m with the substrate number m is stored in No1 and a new pre-exposure substrate W _{m + 1} with the substrate number (m + 1) is sent from the processing unit 2 to the IF unit 3, the processing unit The controller 6b controls the pre-exposure substrate W
The use status of the storage shelves 32a having the shelves Nos. (1 to 25) used for storing the data is searched for in the buffer unit management table CT, and the lowest shelves in the empty state are searched for a new pre-exposure substrate W.
_{m + 1} is the shelf number of the buffer unit 32 (shelf number 2 in this case)
A command is given to the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 so that the substrate transfer robot 23 can be transferred to and stored in the storage rack 32a. As a result, the storage state of the buffer unit 32 and the storage state of the buffer unit management table CT are shown in FIGS.
It becomes as shown in.

Further, after the exposure processing in the exposure processing unit 4 is delayed, a new pre-exposure substrate W _{m + 2} with the substrate number (m + 2) is processed in the processing unit 2 in the state shown in FIGS. 10 (c) and 10 (d). When the timing to send from the
As shown in FIGS. 10E and 10F, the new pre-exposure substrate W _{m + 2} is stored in the storage rack 32a of rack No3.

Thereafter, similarly, a new pre-exposure substrate W is temporarily stored, and if the number of storage shelves 32a of the buffer section 32 is n (for example, 50), the pre-exposure substrate W is maximum (n.
/ 2) (25) sheets can be temporarily stored.

Further, for example, when the substrate loading table 34 becomes empty in the state shown in FIGS. The pre-exposure substrate W (in this case, the pre-exposure substrate W _m stored in the storage rack 32 a of the storage rack No 1) is transferred to the substrate loading table 34 by the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3.
And is placed (FIGS. 10 (g) and 10 (h)).

Then, in the states of FIGS. 10 (g) and 10 (h),
At the timing of sending a new pre-exposure substrate W _{m + 3} having the substrate number (m + 3) from the processing unit 2 to the IF unit 3, as shown in FIGS. _{m + 3} is one of the empty storage shelves 32a
It will be stored in the storage shelf 32a of the lowest shelf No. 1.

Further, in the state of FIGS. 10 (i) and 10 (j), when the substrate loading table 34 becomes empty, the pre-exposure substrate having the smallest substrate number among the pre-exposure substrates W stored in the buffer section 32 is exposed. The substrate W (in this case, the pre-exposure substrate W _{m + 1} stored in the storage rack 32a of the storage rack No2) is transported to and placed on the substrate loading table 34 by the substrate transport robot 33 in the IF unit 3. Further, in that state (a state where the pre-exposure substrates W _{m + 3} and W _{m + 2} are stored only in the storage shelves 32 a of the shelves No. _{1 and 3} ), when the substrate loading table 34 becomes empty, Pre-exposure substrate W stored in the storage shelf 32a
_{m + 2} is transferred to and placed on the substrate loading table 34 by the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3.

In the state of FIGS. 10 (i) and 10 (j), when a new pre-exposure substrate W _{m + 4} with the substrate number (m + 4) is sent from the processing unit 2 to the IF unit 3, this new exposure is performed. The pre-exposure substrate W _{m + 4} is stored in the storage rack 32a of the lowest rack No. 4 among the storage racks 32a in the empty state.

The shelf No. of the exposed substrate W ((n / 2) +
The use management of 1) to n (for example, 26 to 50) is also performed for the above-described shelf No. 1 to (n / 2) of the pre-exposure substrate W (for example, 1 to 25).
The procedure is the same as that of the use management of.

The buffer section management table C is used for searching the buffer section management table CT and writing / deleting information.
Access to T is performed by the processing unit controller 6b and the IF unit controller 6c. Here, when the pre-exposure substrate W is stored in the buffer section 32, the processing unit control section 6c searches the buffer section management table CT (storage shelf 32).
a) (searching for a vacant state) and writing information (board number in the above usage management example) regarding the storage status (writing the board number of the stored pre-exposure substrate W in the above usage management example), and When taking out from the buffer unit 32, the buffer unit management table CT is searched (the storage shelf 3
2a: search for the exposed substrate W with the smallest substrate number stored in 2a) and deletion of information regarding the storage status (substrate number in the above usage management example) (in the above usage management example, the substrate number of the exposed substrate W taken out) Delete). Further, the IF unit control unit 6c searches the buffer unit management table CT when the pre-exposure substrate W is taken out from the buffer unit 32 (searches for the pre-exposure substrate W having the smallest substrate number stored in the storage rack 32a). In addition to deleting the information regarding the storage status, when the exposed substrate W is stored in the buffer section 32, the buffer section management table CT is searched (the empty state of the storage shelf 32a is searched) and the information regarding the storage status is written. .

As described above, according to this embodiment, since the buffer section 32 is provided, even if there is a time difference between the processing time in the processing unit 2 and the processing time in the exposure unit 4, it is flexible. Correspondingly, the pre-exposure substrate W is sent from the processing unit 2 to the IF unit 3 and the exposure unit 4
The exposed substrate W can be quickly sent out from the IF unit 3 to the IF unit 3, and a delay in delivery of the substrate W between the processing unit 2 and the exposure unit 4 can be prevented.

Further, according to this embodiment, the buffer unit 32
Is also used as a delivery position between the substrate transport robot 23 in the processing unit 2 and the substrate transport robot 33 in the IF unit 3, the number of delivery positions of the substrate W of the substrate transport robot 33 in the IF unit 3 is It is possible to increase the speed of the transfer operation of the substrate W in the IF unit 3. Further, according to this embodiment, the IF
The substrate transfer robot 33 in the unit 3 has the buffer unit 3
2, the substrate W may be transferred between the substrate loading table 34 and the substrate loading table 34, and the substrate transport robot 33 in the IF unit 3 avoids the buffer section 32, the substrate loading table 34, the substrate loading table 35, and the like. So you don't have to move
The substrate transfer robot 33 in the unit 3 operates smoothly. Therefore, the substrate transfer in the IF unit 3 can be accelerated by following the exposure unit 4 which has been accelerated and the processing unit 2 which has been made to follow it.

The method of managing the use of the buffer section 32 is not limited to the method exemplified above, and for example, the storage shelf 32a for storing the pre-exposure substrate W and the storage shelf 32a for storing the exposed substrate W are classified. Instead, these may be mixed and sequentially stored from the lower storage rack 32a.

[0111] For example, a substrate before exposure of the substrate number m W _m, the substrate number (m + 1) pre-exposure substrate W _{m + 1,} the substrate number (m-
4) exposed substrate W _m-4, the substrate number (m + 2) pre-exposure substrate W _{m + 2,} exposed substrate W _m-3 of the substrate number (m-3) is housed in the buffer unit 32 in this order If (in this case,
The pre-exposure substrate W _m-1 having the substrate number (m-1) is the substrate loading table 3
The substrate W _{m-2 having the} substrate number (m-2) mounted on
Is subjected to the exposure process by the exposure unit 4), and in the method according to the above modification, the substrates W _m-4 , W _m-3 , and W _{m to} W _{m.
m + 2} is stored as shown in FIG. In the buffer management table CT, as shown in FIG.
A flag for identifying whether the stored substrate W is the unexposed substrate W or the exposed substrate W (in the figure, the unexposed substrate W is "0" and the exposed substrate W is "1") An area MA2 for storing is provided.

In the state of FIG. 11, for example, a new pre-exposure substrate W _{m + 3} or an exposed substrate W _{m− 2} is _added to the buffer section 32.
When storing in a storage shelf 32a in the empty state,
The substrate W is stored in the storage shelf 32a of the lowest shelf No. 6. The buffer management table C
In the area MA1 corresponding to the shelf No. 6 of T, the board number of the board W newly stored is stored, and in the area MA2, the type of the board W stored (whether before exposure or already exposed).
A flag (“0” or “1”) is stored according to

In the state of FIG. 11, for example, when the pre-exposure substrate W is transported to the substrate loading table 34, the pre-exposure substrate having the smallest substrate number among the pre-exposure substrates W stored in the buffer unit 32. W (in this case, the substrate W _m before the exposure of the substrate No. m) searching from the buffer unit management table CT (flag searching only stored substrates W "0") that the shelf of the buffer portion 32 and the substrate W _m It is conveyed from the No. 1 storage shelf 32a to the take-out substrate loading table 34, and the stored contents of the areas MA1 and MA2 corresponding to the shelf No. 1 of the buffer unit management table CT are deleted. In the case where the pre-exposure substrate W _{m + 3} or the exposed substrate W _m-2 is newly stored in the buffer section 32 with the pre-exposure substrate W _m taken out,
Of the empty storage shelves 32a, the lowest shelf No1
The substrates W are stored in the storage shelves 32a, and predetermined information is stored in the corresponding area of the buffer section management table CT.

Further, in the state of FIG. 11, for example, when the exposed substrate W is loaded into the processing unit 2, the exposed substrate W (the exposed substrate W with the smallest substrate number among the exposed substrates W stored in the buffer section 32 ( In this case, the board number (m-
4) the pre-exposure substrate W _m-4 ) is stored in the buffer section management table C
Search from T (search only storage substrate W with flag “1”)
Then, the substrate W _m-4 is taken into the take-out processing unit 2 from the storage rack 32a of the rack No. 3 of the buffer unit 32, and the area MA corresponding to the rack No. 3 of the buffer unit management table CT.
1. Delete the stored contents of MA2. Further, in the case where the pre-exposure substrate W _{m + 3} or the exposed substrate W _m-2 is newly stored in the buffer section 32 with the exposed substrate W _m-4 taken out, the unexposed substrate W _{m + 3} is in an empty state. The substrate W is stored in the lowest storage rack 32a among the storage racks 32a, and predetermined information is stored in the corresponding area of the buffer section management table CT.

By using and managing the buffer section 32 in this way, the pre-exposure substrate W and the exposed substrate W can be temporarily stored for a maximum number of storage shelves, and It is possible to avoid a situation in which one type of substrates W cannot be temporarily stored when the difference between the number of exposed substrates W and the number of temporarily stored substrates W is large.

Further, the use management of the buffer section 32 is described in 2 above.
Although a method other than the example can be used, it is preferable to manage the storage shelves 32a in order from the lower one as in the above two examples. Due to the configuration of the processing unit 2 and the exposure unit 4,
Since the buffer unit 32 is arranged at a position higher than the substrate loading table 34 and the substrate unloading table 35 in the Z-axis direction, when the substrate W is stored / removed in / from the storage shelf 32a above the buffer unit 32, The movement of the substrate supporting portion 33g of the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit in the Z-axis direction must be increased by that much, and also the movement of the hand 23b of the substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 in the Z-axis direction is required. Waste is likely to occur. On the other hand, when the storage shelves 32a are used in order from the lower side, waste of movement of the hands 23b of the substrate transfer robots 23 and 33 in the processing unit 2 and the IF unit 3 and the substrate support 33g in the Z-axis direction is reduced. That is, since the operations of the substrate transfer robots 23 and 33 during the substrate transfer are not wasted, the throughput in the processing unit 2 is improved and the transfer of the substrate W in the IF unit 3 is accelerated.

Next, the operation when the special processing is performed by the IF unit 3 will be briefly described. The operator stores, for example, one or a plurality of pre-exposure substrates W that have been subjected to the processing until immediately before receiving the exposure processing in a processing apparatus other than the processing unit 2 of the present substrate processing apparatus in the cassettes 36a and 36b. Then, the door 38 of the IF unit 3 is opened and the cassette 36 is opened.
Set a and 36b on the table stand 37a and 37b and close the door 3
Close 8. Then, the special processing is set from the operation unit 6f.

As a result, in the IF unit 3, the substrate transport robot 33 takes out one pre-exposure substrate W from the cassettes 36a and 36b, transports it to the substrate loading table 34, and places it. This substrate W is taken into the exposure unit 4 and subjected to exposure processing. When the substrate loading table 34 becomes empty,
The substrate transfer robot 33 takes out one next pre-exposure substrate W from the cassettes 36a and 36b, transfers it to the substrate loading table 34, and places it. In addition, after the exposure processing is completed, the substrate unloading table 3
When the exposed substrate W is placed on the substrate 5, the substrate transfer robot 3
3 removes the exposed substrate W from the substrate unloading table 35,
Predetermined storage space for the cassettes 36a and 36b (the substrate W
Store it in the storage place where it was originally stored. When the above exposure operation is repeated and all the substrates W are exposed and stored in the cassettes 36a and 36b, the operator opens the door 38 to take out the cassettes 36a and 36b from the IF unit 3 and close the door 38. Then, the cassettes 36a and 36b containing the exposed substrates W are carried to another processing apparatus, where various substrate processing (development, post bake, etc.) after the exposure processing can be performed. In the above operation, even if the exposure processing time in the exposure unit 4 becomes shorter or shorter, the substrate transfer robot 33 basically causes the next pre-exposure substrate W to be placed in the cassette 36a when the substrate loading table 34 becomes empty. 36b
From the substrate is transferred to the substrate loading table 34 and placed there.
When the exposed substrate W is placed on the substrate carry-out table 35, there is no particular problem because the substrate W is taken out and stored in the cassettes 36a and 36b.

Further, one or a plurality of pilot substrates W are housed in the cassettes 36a and 36b, exposed by the exposure unit 4, and the exposed state is tested using the substrate W after the exposure (exposure test). When performing, the operation in the IF unit 3 is similar to the above.

As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to flexibly deal with using the IF unit 3 as an indexer, performing an exposure test, and the like.

<Second Embodiment> The configuration of a second embodiment device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The basic configuration of this second embodiment apparatus is the same as that of the above-mentioned first embodiment apparatus, but the IF unit 3 (substrate transfer apparatus) according to this embodiment is a processing unit 2 as shown in FIG. That is, a second transfer path 41 is provided on the opposite side of the transfer path 24 with the second apparatus placement portion 22 of the processing unit 2 interposed therebetween, and a second substrate transfer robot 42 is provided on the second transfer path 41. It is configured to be applied to the processing unit 2.

The processing unit 2 having such a configuration has been recently developed by the applicant of the present application for the purpose described later.

Here, the purpose and configuration of the processing unit 2 having the above configuration will be described. As described above, the baking process in the processing unit 2 is a so-called heat treatment for heating the substrate W. On the other hand, the processes such as resist coating and developing are generally performed at room temperature (room temperature), and In the heat treatment, the temperature in the substrate W and the spin coater SC or spin developer SD for performing those treatments needs to be strictly controlled to a predetermined temperature near room temperature and kept stable.

However, in the processing unit 2 (hereinafter referred to as a conventional processing unit) to which the conventional example or the first embodiment is applied, one substrate transfer robot 23 performs a heat treatment (hereinafter referred to as a heat treatment section). Since it is configured to access both the heat treatment unit and the non-heat treatment unit (hereinafter referred to as the non-heat treatment unit), the hand 23b of the substrate transfer robot 23 warmed in the heat treatment unit is simply inserted into the non-heat treatment unit. Instead, the temperature of the other substrate W or the non-heat-treated part is partially held by holding the substrate W in the stage where the room temperature should be kept by the warmed hand 23b or by heat radiation from the warmed substrate W. Increased, resulting in impaired thermal stability of the process.

Further, in the conventional processing unit 2, each of the devices BA, CA, SC, SD, and
Since it is necessary to access the EEW and the like, there is a limit in improving the throughput of the entire processing unit 2.

Further, since the conventional processing unit 2 is provided with the transfer path 24 of the substrate transfer robot 23 sandwiching the first device disposition part 21 and the second device disposition part 22, the loading / unloading port io of the heat treatment part. (See FIG. 4) is directed toward the non-heat treatment section, and therefore, every time the hand 23b of the substrate transfer robot 23 accesses the heat treatment section, hot air or dust (particles) is scattered from the heat treatment section to the surroundings, When they are mixed in the non-heat-treated portion, they adversely affect the thermal stability of the non-treated portion and cause contamination.

Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned inconvenience, the influence of heat from the heat treatment section is not given to the non-heat treatment section, the throughput of the entire processing unit can be further improved, and the hot air and particles from the heat treatment section are not The applicant of the present invention has improved the processing unit for the purpose of preventing mixing into the heat treatment section.

A concrete structure of the improved processing unit 2 will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the processing unit 2, the first apparatus arranging section 21, the transfer path 24 of the first substrate transfer robot 23, the second apparatus arranging section 22, and the transfer path of the second substrate transfer robot 42 are arranged in a plane. 41 are arranged in that order.

A plurality of spin coaters SC and spin developers SD (two in the figure) are arranged in the first device arranging section 21 as in the conventional processing unit 2.

The first substrate transfer robot 23 is constructed similarly to the substrate transfer robot 23 of the conventional processing unit 2,
The hand 23b is extendable / contractible in the horizontal direction, rotatable about the Z axis, and movable in the Z axis (vertical) direction and the X axis (longitudinal direction of the transport path 24). The first substrate transfer robot 23 has access to the respective devices SC and SD constituting the non-heat treatment section arranged in the first apparatus arrangement unit 21 and is provided in the second apparatus arrangement unit 22 described later. The substrate transfer part IF, the cooling device CA, and the edge exposure part EEW thus accessed are accessed.

In the second device placement section 22, a bake unit BU and a plurality of edge exposure sections EEW are placed. As shown in FIG. 13, the bake unit BU includes a plurality of bake devices BA, a cooling device CA, and a plurality of substrate transfer parts IF, which are two-dimensionally stacked and arranged on the X axis and the Z axis. Further, as shown in FIG. 14, the substrate transfer section IF is provided with a substrate loading / unloading port io facing both the transport path 24 and the transport path 41, and can be accessed by both the first and second substrate transport robots 23 and 42. A plurality of substrate support pins 43 for supporting the substrate W are fixedly provided in the interior in the vertical direction. The cooling device CA has the same structure as the conventional one, but the substrate loading / unloading port io
Is provided so as to face both the transfer path 24 and the transfer path 41, and is accessible by both the first and second substrate transfer robots 23 and 42. The substrate transfer part IF is provided especially for transferring the substrate W between the first and second substrate transfer robots 23 and 42.
The cooling device CA also includes the first and second substrate transfer robots 23 and 4.
It is used to transfer the substrate W between the two. In the cooling device CA, the heated substrate W is cooled to near room temperature when it is carried out, so the first substrate transfer robot 23 is used.
This is because there is no concern that the non-heat treatment portion arranged in the first apparatus arrangement portion 21 will be thermally affected even if the wafer comes into contact with the substrate W when it is carried out. In addition, the substrate loading / unloading port io of the baking device BA
Are provided so as to face only the transfer path 41 so that only the second substrate transfer robot 42 can access them. As a result, it is possible to prevent hot air, particles, and the like from the substrate loading / unloading port io of the baking apparatus BA (heat treatment section) from entering the non-heat treatment section (spin coater SC or spin developer SD) of the first apparatus placement section 21.
Further, although not shown, the substrate loading / unloading port of the edge exposure unit EEW is provided only toward the transport path 24,
Only the first substrate transfer robot 23 can be accessed so that the baking device BA (heat treatment unit) can be accessed.
The hot air and particles from the substrate loading / unloading port io are also prevented from entering the edge exposure section EEW (non-heat treatment section). The substrate loading / unloading port io of each device is provided with an openable / closable door (not shown) so that it is automatically opened / closed only when the substrate transfer robots 23 and 42 access it.

The second substrate transfer robot 42 is also constructed similarly to the substrate transfer robot 23 of the conventional processing unit 2,
The hand 23b is configured to be extendable / contractible in the horizontal direction, rotatable about the Z axis, and movable in the Z axis direction and the X axis direction. The second substrate transfer robot 42 accesses the bake device BA, the cooling device CA, and the substrate transfer part IF arranged in the second device arrangement part 22.

When the substrate W is transferred from the first substrate transfer robot 23 to the second substrate transfer robot 42, the first substrate transfer robot 23 places the substrate W on the substrate support pins 43 in the substrate transfer section IF. Then, the second substrate transfer robot 42 takes out the substrate W from the substrate transfer part IF and performs it. In addition, from the second substrate transfer robot 42 to the first
In order to deliver the substrate W to the substrate transfer robot 23, the second substrate transfer robot 42 carries the substrate W heated by the baking device BA into the cooling device CA, and cools the substrate W to near room temperature, The first substrate transfer robot 23 takes out the substrate W from the cooling device CA and performs the processing. In addition,
In the series of processing in the processing unit 2, the baking device B
Since the cooling process by the cooling device CA is performed after the baking process by A, the cooling device CA is used for delivering the substrate W from the second substrate transfer robot 42 to the first substrate transfer robot 23, as described above. This makes it possible to deliver the substrate W in accordance with the processing sequence.

As described above, only the second substrate transfer robot 42 accesses the heat treatment section, the first substrate transfer robot 23 that accesses the non-heat treatment section does not perform at all, and the substrate W is transferred. Also in this case, since the first and second substrate transfer robots 23 and 42 do not come into contact with each other or come close to each other, inconveniences such as inhibition of thermal stability of the non-heat treated portion due to heat of the heat treated portion are eliminated. Further, according to the processing unit 2, the first and second substrate transfer robots 23 and 42 cooperate to transfer the substrate in the processing unit 2, so that the processing efficiency is improved and the throughput of the entire substrate processing apparatus is increased. It can be further improved.

In the substrate transfer apparatus according to the second embodiment applied to the processing unit 2 having the above structure, the buffer section 32 is used.
X of the second substrate transfer robot 42 in the processing unit 2
The second substrate transfer robot 42 in the processing unit 2 is arranged on the extension line of the movement path in the axial direction.
The substrate W is stored / removed. In accordance therewith, the moving distance of the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 in the Y-axis direction is set longer than that in the first embodiment. In the second embodiment,
The second substrate transfer robot 42 in the processing unit 2 corresponds to the in-processing unit substrate transfer means in the present invention.

In the substrate processing apparatus having the structure shown in FIG. 12, when a series of processing is performed by the procedure of [01] to [18] described in the first embodiment, [10] "cooling by cooling device CA" ]
The substrate (pre-exposure substrate) W which has been processed is stored in the buffer section 32. Therefore, the second substrate transfer robot 42 in the processing unit 2 takes out the substrate W after the cooling of [10] from the cooling device CA. Also, the buffer unit 3
The exposed substrate W taken out from the No. 2 is subjected to "development by the spin developer SD" ([14]), but the exposed substrate W is taken out from the buffer unit 32 by the processing unit 2
The second substrate transfer robot 42 in the processing unit 2 carries in the exposed substrate W to the spin developer SD by the first substrate transfer robot 42 in the processing unit 2. And the first substrate transfer robot 23 needs to deliver the substrate W. The delivery of the substrate W in this case is performed not through the cooling device CA but through the substrate delivery section IF.

Next, some modifications of each of the above embodiments will be introduced. <Modification 1> In the second embodiment, the buffer unit 32 is arranged on the extension line of the movement path of the second substrate transfer robot 42 in the processing unit 2 in the X-axis direction, and the second unit in the processing unit 2 is arranged. Although the substrate transfer robot 42 is configured to store / unload the substrate W in / from the buffer unit 32, the buffer unit 32 is used as the first substrate transfer robot 2 in the processing unit 2.
The first substrate transfer robot 23 in the processing unit 2 is arranged on the extension line of the moving path of the X-axis direction of the buffer unit 3.
The substrate W may be stored / removed in / from the substrate 2.

<Modification 2> The arrangement of the buffer unit 32, the substrate transfer robot 33, the substrate loading table 34, and the substrate unloading table 35 in the IF unit 3 is not limited to those in the first and second embodiments. It is also possible to modify as shown in FIGS. 15 (b) to (d) and FIG.

In FIG. 15B, the positional relationship of the substrate transfer robot 33, the substrate loading table 34, and the substrate unloading table 35 with respect to the buffer section 32 is opposite to that in the first and second embodiments in the Y-axis direction. Is. For comparison, the first and second
The arrangement of the main elements in the IF unit 3 of the embodiment is shown in FIG.
(A). In addition, as described in the first modification,
In the improved processing unit 2 described in the second embodiment, the substrate transfer robots in the processing unit 2 for storing / removing the substrate W in / from the buffer unit 32 are the first and second substrate transfer robots 23, Any of the substrate transfer robots 42 may be used. For this, see FIG.
The same applies to (c), (d), and FIG. 16, and the reference numeral of the substrate transfer robot in the processing unit 2 in each of these figures is indicated by “23 (42)”.

In FIGS. 15C and 15D, the movement direction of the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 in the XY plane is the X-axis direction (Y-axis direction in the first and second embodiments). It was done. In this arrangement, the substrate loading table 34 and the substrate unloading table 35 may be on the upper side (shown by the solid line) in the figure as long as they are along the movement path of the substrate transport robot 33 in the X-axis direction. It may be on the side (indicated by the dotted line). In FIG. 15C, when the substrate loading table 34 and the substrate unloading table 35 are arranged at the positions indicated by the solid lines, the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 rotates the substrate support part 33g and the like around the Z axis. The substrate W can be stored / removed in / from the arbitrary storage shelves 32a in the buffer unit 32, and the substrate W can be placed / removed in / from the substrate loading table 34 and the substrate unloading table 35 without the need for the substrate transport. The rotation drive unit 33e of the robot 33 can be omitted.
As for this, in FIG.
4. The same can be said when the substrate unloading table 35 is arranged at the position indicated by the dotted line.

In FIGS. 16A and 16B, the storage / removal direction of the substrate W with respect to the buffer section 32 by the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 (Y-axis direction in the first and second embodiments) is shown. The substrate transfer robot 23 (42) in the processing unit 2 is in the same X-axis direction as the substrate W storage / removal direction with respect to the buffer section 32.

In FIG. 16C, the storage / removal direction of the substrate W with respect to the buffer section 32 by the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 is shown with respect to the buffer section 32 by the substrate transfer robot 23 (42) in the processing unit 2. The X-Y direction of the substrate transfer robot 33 in the IF unit 3 is set in the same X-axis direction as the storage / removal direction of the substrate W.
The movement direction in the plane is the X-axis direction.
Even in the case of such an arrangement, as shown in FIG.
Similar to the modified example of (d), the substrate loading table 34 and the substrate unloading table 35 are on the upper side (shown by the solid line) in the figure if they are along the movement path of the substrate transport robot 33 in the X-axis direction. Or it may be on the lower side (shown by the dotted line).

Further, in each of FIGS. 15 and 16, the arrangement positions of the substrate loading table 34 and the substrate loading table 35 can be exchanged.

<Modification 3> The layout of the processing unit 2, the IF unit 3, and the exposure unit 4 is not limited to the case of arranging in the horizontal 1-axis (X-axis) direction as in each of the above-described embodiments.
For example, as shown in FIGS. 17 (a), (c), and (e), arrangement in a "U" shape, or (b), (d),
As shown in (f), various layouts are adopted such as arrangement in an “L” shape, but the present invention can be similarly applied to such various layouts.

Regarding the layout of the buffer section 32, the substrate transfer robot 33, the substrate loading table 34, and the substrate unloading table 35 in the IF unit 3 in the layout of FIG. 17, various layouts described with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16 are appropriately applied. be able to.

17 (a) and 17 (b) show the structure when the processing unit 2 is the conventional processing unit 2 described in the first embodiment, and FIGS. 17 (c) to 17 (f) show The structure when the processing unit 2 is the improved processing unit 2 described in the second embodiment is shown. FIG.
17C and 17D show a configuration in which the second substrate transfer robot 42 is used as the substrate transfer robot in the processing unit 2 for storing / removing the substrate W in / from the buffer section 32, and FIG. , (F) show the configuration in the case where the first substrate transfer robot 23 stores / takes out the substrate W in / from the buffer section 32.

[0148]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, since the substrate storage portion is provided, it is possible to flexibly cope with the time difference between the processing time in the processing unit and the processing time in the exposure unit. be able to.

Further, since the substrate storage section is also used as a delivery position for the substrate transport means in the processing unit and the substrate transport means in the substrate transport device, the substrate transport position of the substrate transport means in the substrate transport device is used. Since the number of substrates is reduced, it is possible to speed up the substrate transfer operation by the substrate transfer device.

Further, since the substrate storage section is also used as a delivery position for the substrate transfer means in the processing unit and the substrate transfer means in the substrate transfer apparatus, the substrate transfer means in the substrate transfer apparatus is used as the substrate storage section. It suffices to transfer the substrate to and from the exposure unit, and this substrate transfer means does not have to move to avoid the position of the transfer of the substrate including the substrate storage portion, and the operation of the substrate transfer means in the substrate transfer device can be performed. It is done smoothly.

Therefore, when the substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention is used in a substrate processing apparatus incorporating a high-speed exposure unit and a processing unit that follows the exposure unit, the substrate transfer between the processing unit and the exposure unit is exposed. It is possible to follow the high processing speed of the unit and the processing unit, and it is possible to eliminate the inconvenience that the throughput of the entire substrate processing apparatus decreases.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan sectional view showing a configuration of an entire substrate processing apparatus including a substrate transfer apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration in the vicinity of a buffer unit of the first embodiment device.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the first embodiment apparatus viewed from the exposure unit side.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a procedure of accessing a cooling device by a substrate transfer robot in a processing unit and a procedure of storing (placed) a substrate on a storage shelf of a buffer unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a procedure of placing a substrate on a substrate loading table by a substrate transport robot in the IF unit.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a control system of the embodiment apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of usage management of a buffer unit.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining an example of usage management of the buffer unit.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining an example of usage management of the buffer unit.

FIG. 10 is also a diagram for explaining an example of usage management of the buffer unit.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining another example of usage management of the buffer unit.

FIG. 12 is a plan sectional view showing the configuration of the entire substrate processing apparatus including the apparatus of the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a front view showing a configuration of a baking unit of the improved processing unit.

FIG. 14 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the improved processing unit.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a configuration of a modified example 2 of each embodiment.

FIG. 16 is also a diagram showing a configuration of Modification 2 of each embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a modified example 3 of each embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a plan sectional view, a front view, and a side view showing an overall configuration of a substrate transfer apparatus and a substrate processing apparatus incorporating the apparatus according to a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... Processing unit 3 ... Interface (IF) unit (substrate transfer device) 4 ... Exposure unit 23, 42 ... (First and second) substrate transfer robot in processing unit (substrate transfer means in processing unit) 32 ... Buffer Part (substrate storage part) 32a ... Storage rack of buffer part (storage part of substrate storage part) 33 ... Substrate transfer robot (substrate transfer means in substrate transfer device) 34 ... Substrate carry-in table 35 ... Substrate unloading table W ... Substrate

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A substrate for carrying (delivering) a substrate between a processing unit for performing various kinds of substrate processing before and after exposure processing and an exposure unit for performing exposure processing in a photolithography process. In the transfer device, the substrate is transferred between the substrate storage unit having a plurality of storage units capable of temporarily storing a plurality of substrates and the exposure unit, and at the same time, any substrate storage unit can store the substrate. Substrate transfer means for storing / removing the substrate to / from the substrate storage means, wherein the substrate transfer means in the processing unit provided in the processing unit stores the substrate in an arbitrary storage part of the substrate storage part. / A substrate transfer device characterized by being configured to take out.